Coreopsis plant named ‘Golden Stardust’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Coreopsis  plant named ‘Golden Stardust’, characterized by its single-type, medium yellow-orange colored inflorescences having a burgundy-red colored eye zone, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, upright growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Coreopsis hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘Golden Stardust’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Coreopsis plant botanically known as Coreopsis hybrid and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Golden Stardust’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Santa Paula, Calif. during October 2011. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Coreopsis cultivars having substantially continuous blooming throughout the summer, and upright growth habits.

The new Coreopsis cultivar is the result of open-pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Coreopsis hybrid breeding selection coded 79571-21op, not patented, characterized by its dark yellow-colored flowers, light green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, upright growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is unknown. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated open-pollination during May 2012 in a controlled environment in Santa Paula, Calif.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since May 2012 in Santa Paula, Calif. and Elburn, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Golden Stardust’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Coreopsis plant:

-   -   1. Single-type, medium yellow-orange colored inflorescences         having a burgundy-red colored eye zone;     -   2. Medium green-colored foliage; and     -   3. Moderately vigorous, upright growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parent primarily in having a different ray floret color and darker foliage color.

Of the many commercially available Coreopsis cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is the Coreopsis cultivar UpTick Yellow & Red ‘Baluptowed’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 28,865. However, in comparison, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Baluptowed’ in at least the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have fewer ray florets than plants         of ‘Baluptowed’;     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have smaller simple and trifoliate         leaves than plants of ‘Baluptowed’; and     -   3. Plants of the new cultivar have smaller diameter         inflorescences than plants of ‘Baluptowed’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Golden Stardust’. The plants were grown in one-gallon containers for approximately 4 weeks in a greenhouse in Elburn, Ill. followed by approximately 9 weeks in an outdoor nursery in West Chicago, Ill. Plants were given two pinches, one at one week before transplant and one two weeks after transplant.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Golden Stardust’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an inflorescence of ‘Golden Stardust’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2015 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined in July 2018 under natural light conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe approximately four-month old plants produced from cuttings from stock plants and grown under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown in one-gallon containers for approximately 4 weeks in a greenhouse in Elburn, Ill. followed by approximately 9 weeks in an outdoor nursery in West Chicago, Ill. Plants were given two pinches, one at one week before transplant and one two weeks after transplant. Greenhouse temperatures in Elburn, Ill. were maintained at approximately 65° F. to 70° F. (18.3° C. to 21.1° C.) during the day and approximately 55° F. to 60° F. (12.8° C. to 15.6° C.) during the night. No supplemental lighting was provided. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Coreopsis hybrid ‘Golden Stardust’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Coreopsis hybrid breeding             selection coded 79571-21op, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Unknown. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 10 to 12 days at             70° F. (21° C.).         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 5 to 6 weeks             at 70° F. (21° C.).         -   Root description.—Fibrous, thin, white to light brown in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching, dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 10 to 12 weeks from a             rooted cutting to finish in a one-gallon container.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Herbaceous perennial,             moderately vigorous, upright growth habit.         -   Hardiness.—USDA zone 5a (−20° F. to −15° F./−28.9° C. to             −26° C.).         -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:             Approximately 37.0 cm. Width: Approximately 40.0 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, pinching improves basal             branching. Quantity of lateral branches per plant: 3 main             branches each having approximately 6 to 8 lateral branches.         -   Lateral branches.—Strength: Moderately strong. Length to             base of peduncle: Approximately 21.0 cm. Diameter:             Approximately 3.0 mm to 5.0 mm. Length of central internode:             Approximately 3.5 cm. Texture: Moderately pubescent. Color             of young and mature stems: 146A to 146B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per main branch:             Approximately 8. Type: Simple and trifoliate. Fragrance:             None detected. Arrangement: Opposite. Aspect: Acute angle to             stem. Shape of leaf and leaflet: Narrowly elliptic. Margin             of leaf and leaflet: Entire, ciliate. Apex of leaf and             leaflet: Acute. Base of leaf and leaflet: Attenuate, simple             leaf sessile. Venation pattern: Pinnate.         -   Simple leaf.—Length: Approximately 6.0 cm. Width:             Approximately 1.0 cm. Texture of upper surface: Sparsely             pubescent. Texture of lower surface: Moderately pubescent.             Color of upper surface of young and mature foliage: 137A             with indistinguishable venation. Color of lower surface of             young and mature foliage: Closest to 146A with             indistinguishable venation.         -   Mature trifoliate leaf.—Length of mature trifoliate leaf:             Approximately 6.5 cm. Width of mature trifoliate leaf:             Approximately 3.5 cm. Length of terminal leaflet:             Approximately 5.0 cm. Width of terminal leaflet:             Approximately 1.0 cm. Length of lateral leaflet:             Approximately 1.8 cm. Width of lateral leaflet:             Approximately 4.0 mm. Texture of upper surface: Sparsely             pubescent. Texture of lower surface: Moderately pubescent.             Color of upper surface of young and mature foliage: 137A             with indistinguishable venation. Color of lower surface of             young and mature foliage: Closest to 146A with             indistinguishable venation. Length of petiole of mature             trifoliate leaf: Approximately 1.2 cm. Diameter of petiole             of mature trifoliate leaf: Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture of             petiole of mature trifoliate leaf: Sparsely pubescent. Color             of upper and lower surfaces of petiole of mature trifoliate             leaf: 146B. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Golden Stardust’ is freely flowering under             outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous             blooming from spring through late autumn.         -   Lastingness of individual inflorescence on the             plant.—Approximately 7 to 10 days. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Daisy-type composite,             actinomorphic. Persistent, but doesn't require cleaning to             flower. Shape: Round. Aspect: Primarily erect. Arrangement:             Terminal capitulum, positioned above the foliage. Quantity             per plant: Approximately 27. Diameter: Approximately 4.6 cm.             Depth: Approximately 1.5 cm. Fragrance: Slightly acrid.         -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: Erect. Length:             Approximately 9.5 cm to 12.5 cm. Diameter: Approximately             2.0 mm. Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color: 146A.         -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 4 to 5 days for bud to             progress from first color to fully open inflorescence.             Quantity per plant: Approximately 25.         -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Obovoid. Width:             Approximately 9.0 mm. Depth: Approximately 8.0 mm. Color:             163A.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: Approximately 8             to 9. Arrangement: In a single whorl, slightly imbricate.             Aspect: Flattened. Shape: Oblong to obovate. Margin: Entire.             Apex: Incised. Base: Rounded. Length: Approximately 2.3 cm.             Width: Approximately 1.0 cm to 1.1 cm. Texture of upper and             lower surfaces: Glabrous, longitudinal ribs. Color of upper             surface when first and fully open: 14A with base of 187A to             187B. Color of lower surface when first open: 14B with a             faint underlay of 187B at base.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: Approximately 115.             Arrangement: Massed in center of inflorescence. Shape:             Tubular. Margin: Entire. Apex: Five acute tips. Base: Fused.             Length: Approximately 7.0 mm. Diameter at tube opening:             Approximately 2.0 mm. Diameter at base: Approximately             1.0 mm. Texture of outer surface: Glabrous. Texture of inner             surface: Glabrous with glandular pubescence on tips. Color             of upper or inner surface when first and fully open: Closest             to 17C, translucent; tips of 17B. Color of lower or outer             surface when fully open: Closest to 17C, translucent; tips             of 17B, base of 145D.         -   Disc.—Diameter: Approximately 1.0 cm. Depth: Approximately             5.0 mm.         -   Receptacle.—Shape: Dome. Height: Approximately 2.0 mm.             Diameter at base: Approximately 5.0 mm. Color: 145D.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence Approximately 16.             Arrangement: In two equally divided whorls. Base of inner             whorl fused into cup-shaped base surrounding receptacle,             imbricate, held close to ray florets.         -   Outer phyllaries.—Shape: Lanceolate. Margin: Entire,             ciliate. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Length: Approximately             8.0 mm. Width: Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture of upper and             lower surfaces: Glabrous, glossy. Color of upper and lower             surfaces: 137A with colorless margins.         -   Inner phyllaries.—Shape of free portion: Ovate. Margin:             Entire. Apex: Acute. Base: Fused. Length: Approximately             1.2 cm. Width: Approximately 6.0 mm. Texture of upper and             lower surfaces: Glabrous. Color of upper and lower surfaces:             163C with cup-shaped portion of closest to 146C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Stamen quantity: 5. Stamen length: Approximately             5.0 mm. Filament length: Approximately 2.5 mm. Filament             color: 154D. Anther shape: Oblong, basifixed. Anther length:             Approximately 2.5 mm. Anther color: 17B. Pollen amount:             Abundant. Pollen color: 17A. Gynoecium: Present on disc             florets only. Pistil quantity: 1 per floret. Pistil length:             Approximately 7.0 mm. Stigma shape: 2-branched. Stigma             length: Each branch approximately 1.0 mm. Stigma color: 17B.             Style length: Approximately 5.0 mm. Style color: 154D. Ovary             length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Ovary color: 145D. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests     common to Coreopsis has not been observed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Coreopsis plant named ‘Golden Stardust’, substantially as herein illustrated and described. 